Payton Dixon fired a three-hitter, striking out three and walking one, as No. 9 Mid-Pacific rallied past top-ranked Kamehameha 2-1 on Wednesday afternoon at Damon Field.
The southpaw was efficient, allowing just one unearned run in a clutch performance for the Owls.
“Toward the fifth inning, my body started feeling tired. Legs and arms, everything,” Dixon said. “Especially this late in the season, you’ve got to keep grinding, keep persevering. It’s all the conditioning and hard work we do here. I love the pitch calling now. I can’t give away any secrets, but it’s good.”
Mid-Pacific improved to 9-3 as a tight ILH race is in full drama mode for the final eight days. The Owls now lead the ILH by a half-game over ‘Iolani, Kamehameha and Saint Louis, which are all 8-3 with one week left in the regular season.
Post game, Dixon was busy hugging his grandmother and adding more performance-based stickers under the brim of his hat. It has been business as usual despite the distractions. An early miscue by first baseman Chandler Murray allowed Kamehameha to take a 1-0 lead that stood for five innings.
“After the error, we’re team first. We just got to pick everybody up, keeping it positive in the dugout. Being good teammates,” Dixon said. “We told Chandler, plenty of game left. He’s going to pick up himself up and he came up big with that triple, man. That was huge.”
In the fifth inning, Murray redeemed himself with a clutch double to deep right center to tie the game, then scored the go-ahead run on Noah Kubo’s sacrifice fly.
“Second inning, I missed out on that opportunity with the bases loaded. I kept my head up, kept my team up,” Murray said. “Our pitcher threw a hell of a game.”
Owls coach Dunn Muramaru is enjoying the ride, bumps and all. Murray’s resilience was especially impressive.
“That’s great. He made two good (infield) throws after that. As long as it’s on the plus ledger, it’s good,” Muramaru said. “Payton was terrific. He was better this time than he was against Saint Louis. I feel pretty good.”
Dixon outdueled Kamehameha starting pitcher Alaka‘i Kiakona. The left-hander went 41⁄3 innings, permitting just one earned run on five hits. Kiakona struck out two and walked two before yielding to Elai Iwanaga.
“Both pitchers did good. Hat’s off to Dixon, as well. It was a struggle for us offensively and they capitalized on our mistakes on the field. We didn’t do much to create opportunities ourselves and push the envelope,” Warriors coach Darryl Kitagawa said. “It’s a logjam atop the ILH, but to me, that’s the fun part. I’m looking forward to seeing how our boys respond.”
In the top of the first inning. Jace Souza walked with two outs, then got caught in a pickle off first base on a pickoff throw from Dixon. Souza took off for second base and Murray’s throw sailed into left center. Souza scored standing up for a 1-0 Kamehameha lead.
After stranding six base runners in the first four innings, MPI came through in the fifth. Coen Goeas led off with a single to center, and Murray drove a shot to the fence in deep right center. The throw to the infield bounced through to the Mid-Pacific dugout, allowing Goeas to score and Murray to advance to third base.
With the game tied, Noah Kubo’s sacrifice fly to right field scored Murray easily, pushing MPI ahead, 2-1.
After Kiakona issued a two-out walk to Max Taniguchi, Elai Iwanaga took the mound. Taniguchi stole second base without a challenge, but Iwanaga struck out Jerren Lum to end the inning.
After scoring on MPI’s throwing error in the first inning, Kamehameha tried the same tactic in the fourth and fifth innings. Each time, Murray’s throws to second base were on point to nail base runners Jace Souza and Nalu Grace.
In the top of the sixth, Souza singled with one out. With two strikes on Greyson Osbun, Dixon struck out the batter and the catcher, Kubo, threw out Souza at second base to end the inning.
In the top of the seventh, Dixon retired Dillon Andres, Nalu Grace and Taj Uyehara in order to seal another remarkable Mid-Pacific win.
The Owls will play Saint Louis on Tuesday, then host Pac-Five on Apr. 18 to close the regular season.
Kamehameha will play Pac-Five today at Ala Wai Community Park. On Apr. 16, the Warriors meet ‘Iolani and then play Saint Louis on Apr. 18. Those two games are set for Patsy Mink Central Oahu Regional Park.
Dixon has been one of the reasons why Mid-Pacific has overcome a volatile situation, losing 12 players who were expelled by the school. With a number of young players filling spots on the roster, the Owls are in position to earn the regular-season title and an automatic state-tournament berth.
“Shout out to my boys. They’re always picking each other up, always getting better every day, pushing each other,” Dixon said. “Great team win today. Everyone had each other’s back.”
Coincidentally, Dixon, Kiakona and Iwanaga are good friends.
“I train with Ka‘i and Elai. They’re great kids, great pitchers. Those guys have such a bright future. I love those guys,” Dixon said. “Always a fun battle between us, too, from little-kid time. I love competing against them.”
At Damon Field
Kamehameha (8-3) 100 000 0 — 1 4 2
Mid-Pacific (9-3) 000 020 x — 2 9 1
Alaka‘i Kiakona, Elai Iwanaga (5) and Taj Uyehara. Payton Dixon and Noah Kubo. W—Dixon. L—Kiakona.
Leading hitters—KS: Jace Souza 2-2, walk, run; Nalu Grace 2-2. MPI: Coen Goeas 2-3, run, walk; Chandler Murray 1-4, double, run; Kubo 1-2, RBI, SF.
